JPH10339377A - Gate valve - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent collision of both metal in a vacuum chamber providing with an operating member which is rotatably installed at an equal clearances from a joining part of a valve element on which the joining part is rotatably installed, and a valve element supporting member of first and second link members, and which is connected to a first shaft. SOLUTION: A first cylinder 1 is closing-operated, the base 2 of a second cylinder 3 and first and second vacuum shafts 4, 5 are lifted up, a valve element 11 held by first and second link members 9, 10 is moved to an opening 13, the cylinder 1 is stopped, and the shaft 5 and a valve element supporting member are also fixed. After the operation of the cylinder 1 is completed, the cylinder 3 is operated in a contacting direction, the shaft 4 is operated, an operation supporting member 12 is moved upward, and link members 9, 10 are rotating- operated. The valve element 11 is moved to the inner wall side of a chamber 15 while holding the parallel with the operation supporting member 12, and an opening 13 is air-tightly sealed through an O-ring 14. It is thus possible to prevent collision of both metals, and it is also possible to prevent generation of metal powder.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gate valve, and more particularly to a gate valve which is attached to a vacuum chamber of a vacuum processing apparatus used for manufacturing semiconductors and separates a vacuum from an atmosphere.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional gate valve, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-272662 has a structure as shown in FIGS. FIG. 4A is a side sectional view in a closed state,
FIG. 4B shows a side sectional view in an open state, and FIG. 5 shows a front view.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a product (wafer)
The inner wall of a chamber (flange) 16 having an opening 17 through which the valve 17 passes serves as a valve seat, and a valve element 18 located on the side of the opening 17 is moved over the opening 17 by the closing operation of the valve rod 19, and the O-ring 20 is moved. A gate valve that hermetically closes the opening 17 with the interposition of the
7, the closing operation is an axial movement approaching the opening 17, and a valve body supporting member 21 that moves together with the valve rod 19 is connected to the tip.

The valve body 18 is supported by a valve body support member 21 via a link mechanism 22 so that the valve body
6 and a gap is provided.

The link mechanism 22 has one end of the valve body support member 2.
1 and the other end is displaced toward the closing operation direction of the valve rod 19 and is pivotally supported by the valve element 18 to swing on a plane perpendicular to the surface of the flange 16 and parallel to the operating direction of the valve rod 19. I do.

The two links 22a, which are parallel to each other and have the same length, form a pair, and the main body for closing the opening 17 opposite to the flange 16 of the valve body 18 is maintained as the flange 16 while the valve body 18 is held. When the valve body 18 is pushed in the direction opposite to the closing operation direction of the valve stem 19 when not restrained, the valve body 18 is gradually separated from the valve body support member 21.
A stopper 23 for stopping the movement of the valve rod 19 in the closing operation direction with respect to the valve element 18 whose main surface reaches the front of the opening 17 by the closing operation of the valve element 18 is disposed.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 24a denotes a cylinder 2
Reference numeral 4 denotes a magnet sensor for defining the operation range, and reference numeral 24b denotes a speed controller for adjusting the operation speed.

[0008]

In the above-described conventional gate valve, the movement in the closing operation direction is stopped by the stopper 23, and the valve rod 19 is further moved, so that the valve body 18 is pressed against the flange 16 and the chamber is closed. The opening 17 was airtightly closed.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional gate valve, the valve body 18 and the stopper 23 made of metal are mutually formed.
Because of the slip, dust is generated. Then, there is a problem that the dust adheres to the semiconductor wafer, resulting in a defective product.

As described above, in the conventional gate valve, since the stopper is provided in the vacuum chamber, dust is generated, adheres to the semiconductor wafer, and the product becomes defective, which is a factor for preventing an improvement in yield. Was.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism in place of the above-mentioned conventional stopper outside the vacuum chamber and to provide a mechanism inside the vacuum chamber. By eliminating collisions between metals, product defects of semiconductor wafers are eliminated, yield
An object of the present invention is to provide a gate valve that achieves an improvement in productivity.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, a gate valve according to the present invention comprises a first valve provided outside a vacuum.
A cylinder, a base attached to a shaft of the first cylinder, a second cylinder attached to the base, a first vacuum shaft attached to a shaft of the second cylinder, A second vacuum shaft to be mounted, a first bellows for isolating the first vacuum shaft from the atmosphere, a second bellows for isolating the second vacuum shaft from the atmosphere,
A valve body support member attached to the second vacuum shaft, and a first member rotatably attached to the valve body support member.
And a second link member rotatably attached to the valve body support member and having the same length as the first link member, and the first link member and the second link member are parallel to each other. And a valve body that is attached so that the coupling portion can freely rotate, and freely rotates at an equal distance from the coupling portion between the first link member and the second link member with the valve body support member. Operating member attached to the first shaft so as to be capable of being connected to the first shaft.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In a preferred embodiment of the gate valve of the present invention, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a chamber (16) having an opening (13) through which an article passes is a valve seat, and is located at a side of the opening. The opening of the valve element (11) is moved over the opening by the closing operation of the shaft, and the
4) A gate valve which hermetically closes the opening by the interposition of a first cylinder (1) provided outside vacuum.
A base (2) attached to the shaft of the first cylinder, a second cylinder (3) attached to the base (2), and a first cylinder connected to the shaft of the second cylinder.
Vacuum shaft (4) and the second attached to the base
And at least a valve body support member (8) attached to the second vacuum shaft, wherein the valve body (11) has parallel link members (9, 10) having the same length. The shaft is supported by the valve body support member (8) via a parallel link mechanism consisting of: and the parallel link members (9, 10) are equidistant from the joint with the valve body support member (8). It is supported by a motion support member (12) connected to one vacuum shaft (4).

When the closing operation of the first cylinder (1) is completed, the position of the second vacuum shaft (5) attached to the base and the position of the valve body support member (8) are fixed, and the second cylinder is closed. (3) is contracted, and the first vacuum shaft (4)
By operating the operation support member (12) connected to the first vacuum shaft (4), the parallel link members (9, 10) are pivotally supported on the valve body support member (8). The valve body (11) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the operation direction of the operation support member while the valve body (11) is kept parallel to the operation support member (8),
The valve body (11) is pressed against the inner wall of the chamber via the O-ring (14), and hermetically closes the opening (14).

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In order to explain the above-mentioned embodiment in more detail, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a side sectional view and a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a closed state of a gate valve. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an open state of the gate valve according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one embodiment of the present invention comprises: (a) a first cylinder 1 provided outside a vacuum;
(B) a base 2 attached to the shaft of the first cylinder 1, (c) a second cylinder 3 attached to the base 2, and (d) a second cylinder attached to the shaft of the second cylinder 3. 1 vacuum shaft 4 and (e) base 2
A second vacuum shaft 5 attached to the
A first bellows 6 for isolating the vacuum shaft 4 from the atmosphere, (g) a second bellows 7 for isolating the second vacuum shaft 5 from the atmosphere, and (h) a second vacuum shaft 5 And (i) a first link member 9 rotatably attached to the valve support member 8.
(J) rotatably attached to the valve body support member 8,
The second link member 10 having the same length as the first link member 9 and (k) the first link member 9 and the second link member 10 are parallel to each other, and the connecting portion is rotatably mounted. The valve body 11 and (1) the first link member 9 and the second link member 10 are attached so as to be freely rotatable at the same distance from the joint of the valve body support member 8 and the first link member 9.
And an operating member 12 coupled to the vacuum shaft 4.

The operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. First cylinder 1
Starts a closing operation (extending operation), raises a base 2 fixing the second cylinder 3, and a first vacuum shaft 4 attached to a shaft of the second cylinder 3,
Second vacuum shaft 5 attached to base 2
, The valve body 11 held by the first link member 9 and the second link member 10
Is moved to the front side of the opening 13.

The first cylinder 1 has a valve body 11 having an opening 1
When it moves to the position on the side front of No. 3, the operation stops.

When the operation of the first cylinder 1 stops, the position of the second vacuum shaft 5 attached to the base 2 is fixed, and the position of the valve body support member 8 is also fixed.

The second cylinder 3 is set to start operating when the operation of the first cylinder 1 stops.

After the operation of the first cylinder 1 is completed, the second cylinder 3 is contracted to operate the first vacuum shaft 4 connected to the shaft of the second cylinder 3, and the first vacuum shaft The operation support member 12 connected to the operation member 4 is operated. That is, the operation support member 12 moves upward in the figure in conjunction with the second cylinder 3.

When the operation support member 12 operates,
The first link member 9 and the second link member 10 rotatably connected to the operation support member 12 rotate around a portion rotatably connected to the valve body support member 8. .

Thus, while keeping the valve body 11 connected to the first link member 9 and the second link member 10 parallel to the operation support member 12, the valve body 11 is perpendicular to the operation direction of the operation support member 12. That is, it is moved to the inner wall side of the chamber 15.

The valve body 11 is pressed against the inner wall of the chamber 15 via the O-ring 14 and closes the opening 13 in an airtight manner.

The reference numerals 1a and 1b attached to the first cylinder 1 and the reference numerals 3a and 3b attached to the second cylinder 3 are magnet sensors for defining the operating range of the cylinder. 1c and 1d attached to one cylinder 1 and 3c and 3d attached to the second cylinder 3 are speed controllers for adjusting the moving speed.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By using two cylinders, the chamber opening can be hermetically closed without installing a stopper in the vacuum chamber. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate metal collision points in a vacuum chamber, thereby eliminating the generation of metal powder, thereby eliminating defective products of semiconductor wafers, and improving yield and productivity. The effect that it can improve is produced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a closed state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a closed state according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an open state of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view and a front view of a conventional gate valve in a closed state.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view in an open state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st cylinder 2 Base 3 2nd cylinder 4 1st vacuum shaft 5 2nd vacuum shaft 6 1st bellows 7 2nd bellows 8 Valve support member 9 1st link member 10 2nd link Member 11 Valve element 12 Operation support member 13 Opening 14 O-ring 15 Chamber 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b Magnet sensor 1c, 1d, 2c, 2d Speed controller

Claims (3)

[Claims] A chamber having an opening through which an article passes serves as a valve seat, and a valve element located on the side of the opening is moved over the opening by a closing operation of a shaft, and the opening is airtightly closed by an O-ring. A first cylinder provided outside of a vacuum, a base attached to a shaft of the first cylinder, a second cylinder attached to the base, and a second cylinder attached to the base. A first vacuum shaft connected to a shaft of a cylinder, a second vacuum shaft attached to the base, and a valve body support member attached to the second vacuum shaft. Via a parallel link mechanism composed of parallel link members having the same length, the shaft is supported on the valve body support member, and the valve is connected to the parallel link member. A gate valve, wherein the gate valve is supported by an operation support member connected to the first vacuum shaft at an equal distance from a joint portion of the body support member. 2. When the closing operation of the first cylinder is completed, the position of the second vacuum shaft attached to the base and the position of the valve body support member are fixed, and the second cylinder is contracted. Operating, operating the first vacuum shaft, thereby operating the operation support member connected to the first vacuum shaft, whereby the parallel link member is axially supported by the valve body support member. The valve body is moved in a direction perpendicular to the operation direction of the operation support member while keeping the valve body parallel to the operation support member, and the valve body is moved through the O-ring into the chamber. The gate valve according to claim 1, wherein the gate valve is pressed against an inner wall of the gate valve to hermetically close the opening. A first cylinder provided outside the vacuum; a base attached to a shaft of the first cylinder; a second cylinder attached to the base; and a shaft of the second cylinder. A first vacuum shaft attached to the base, a second vacuum shaft attached to the base, a first bellows for isolating the first vacuum shaft from the atmosphere, and an atmosphere attached to the second vacuum shaft. A second bellows for isolation, a valve body support member mounted on the second vacuum shaft, a first link member rotatably mounted on the valve body support member, and a rotation on the valve body support member A second link member freely attached and having the same length as the first link member; the first link member and the second link member being parallel to each other; A valve body attached so that the joint portion can freely rotate; and a valve body attached so that the first link member and the second link member can freely rotate at an equal distance from a joint portion between the valve body support member and the first link member. And an operating member coupled to the first shaft.